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Oklahoma City Thunder: Memphis wins Game 2 to tie series

Kevin Durant did what Oklahoma City Thunder fans have come to expect from their superstar. But it wasn't enough for the Thunder on Tuesday night. Memphis took Game 2, 99-93, to tie the best-of-7 series at a game apiece in front of a sold-out crowd of 18,203 at the Chesapeake Energy Arena.

Kevin Durant did what Oklahoma City Thunder fans have come to expect from their superstar.

Derek Fisher did what NBA fans have come to expect from the veteran during the NBA playoffs.

Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant (35) and Serge Ibaka (9) react as Memphis' Marc Gasol watches during Game 2 in the second round of the NBA playoffs between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Memphis Grizzlies at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Tuesday, May 7, 2013. Oklahoma City lost 99-93. Photo by Bryan Terry, The Oklahoman

But it wasn't enough for the Thunder on Tuesday night.

Memphis took Game 2, 99-93, to tie the best-of-7 series at a game apiece in front of a sold-out crowd of 18,203 at the Chesapeake Energy Arena.

The series takes a break until Saturday, when Memphis hosts Game 3 (4 p.m., ESPN).

Durant was magnificent for most of the game, nearly recording a triple-double with 36 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists.

But he couldn't come up another big shot in the game's final minutes, missing a pair of 3-pointers in the final two minutes and falling to the ground as Memphis' Tony Allen stole the ball away with about a minute left to send the series to Memphis tied.

“He was superb,” Memphis coach Lionel Hollins said of Durant. “We knew we had to take away some other people, and except for Fisher in the first half, we did that.”

Fisher hit four 3-pointers, including three in a two-minute stretch in the second quarter, and finished with 19 points.

After Kendrick Perkins hit a pair of free throws with 2:41 left to put the Thunder up by one, the Thunder didn't score again until Fisher's meaningless 3-pointer at the buzzer.

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by Ryan Aber

OU Athletics Reporter

Ryan Aber has worked for The Oklahoman since 2006, covering high schools, the Oklahoma City RedHawks, the Oklahoma City Barons and OU football recruiting. An Oklahoma City native, Aber graduated from Northeastern State. Before joining The...